Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle said Tuesday that Virgin Islands residents should be able to access high quality health care, but they disagreed about whether the current plan for National Health Insurance is the right way to go about achieving that goal.
During a debate on an amendment to the Social Security Board Act that would set up administration for NHI, Health and Social Development Minister Ronnie Skelton said the territory’s plan for a tax-funded universal coverage health care system has been well researched and much debated.
He added that between a series of public meetings and stakeholder consultations, the NHI system is probably the “widest public consultation” seen on a government initiative in recent memory.
But there are still too many unanswered questions about how the system will operate, contended Andrew Fahie (R-D1), who added that his main concerns are how exactly residents’ contributions will be collected, and whether the system will be financially sustainable.
Mr. Fahie went on to advocate for government to explore “other options,” such as hiring a private insurance provider rather than “getting into the insurance business.”
Legislators took their lunch break shortly before 1 p.m., with the public debate expected to continue when they return at 2:15.
See the April 10, 2014 edition for full coverage.
{fcomment}